Mutual Funds - What They Are

Mutual funds can be defined as collectivethe manager has to be paid handling charges.
investments that bring together money fromThese are basically the management fees. On the
many different investors into a common pool,other hand there are non-management fees
which is then professionally managed. The moneywhich include a number of other things. Back to
is invested in other types of securities thatthe management fees, there are administrative
attract interests, which are then divided amongcharges, advisory charges and contractual charges
the stakeholders. The investments come in manythat are all payable regardless of the type of
different types, which include cash instruments,investment one has. The non management fees
stocks, bonds and money market funds.are on the other hand are not related to the
Mutual funds come in many different typesmanagement of the mutual funds but they all go
according to the type of risk they carry, that istowards making your investment worthwhile.
either high or low risk, the length of time theyThey include transfer agent expenses, custodian
take to mature, the type of insurer and alsoexpense, registration expense, board of directors
depending on whether they are local or foreign. Allor trustees expense, accounting and auditing fees
these sub-categories are key in determining theas well as printing and postage fee for processing
amount of return or interest that they attractthe reports for investors. There are also the
and also the regulatory terms they are subject toinvestor fees and expenses which are incurred if
as far as taxes and accounting are concerned.an investor chooses to invest through a broker.
These investments also incur expenses becauseThese will entail even the brokerage commissions.